Jesus warned of three varieties of leaven that we must guard against, staying aware of the pitfalls that will pull us down and corrupt us.

If we feel we are better than our brethren, separating ourselves from them, we are hypocrites and actors, harboring the leavening of the Pharisees in us.

Most commentators see this parable as a positive message of the growth of the church. However, deeper study shows that they have it exactly backward!

The tares and wheat must coexist until the harvest when the fruit will become clearly seen, at which time a separation and judgment will take place.

The Kingdom of God or of Heaven has past, present, and future aspects. The Kingdom parables primarily provide instruction for the present aspect.

The Jews establishes a fixed date for Shavuot in contradiction to the instruction for counting to Pentecost. This is part of the leavening of the Pharisees.

The holy days are reliable teaching tools, emphasizing spaced repetition to reinforce our faulty memories and drive the lesson deep into our thinking.

Bitterness divides one member of Christ's Body from another. Individuals often look for a 'doctrinal' reason to justify leaving a congregation.

We have been de-leavened, but we know we still have sin in us that has to be purified through a lengthy process of sanctification.

Jesus warned His disciples to cease pretending to be better than they are, focusing on the faults of others while whitewashing and justifying one's own.

The Feast of Unleavened Bread immediately follows the Passover. In it we see how hard it is to overcome and rid our lives of sin.

God demands that we love, do justice, and walk humbly, assuming the role of a servant rather than a tyrant, after the manner of the Gentiles.

The Feast of Unleavened Bread memorializes God's deliverance from the environment of sin rather than our coming out of sin. Christ embodies sincerity and truth.

The meal offering represents the fulfillment of the second great commandment, "You shall love your neighbor as yourself." Here is how to understand this offering.

The Pharisees and Sadducees, who normally opposed each other, joined forces against their common enemy, Jesus. They should have recognized Him as the Messiah.

Our carnal nature will always deceive the self, convincing us that our behavior is not so bad, but Paul realized the addictive, toxic nature of sin.

Christian freedom has nothing to do with location or circumstance but how we think. By imbibing on God's Word, we will incrementally displace our carnality.